Auburn Football: Holiday Wish List for the Tigers
AUBURN, Ala. — The holidays are a perfect time to reflect on the year that was and prepare for what's ahead on the new calendar.
And, of course, they are a perfect time for gifts.
Auburn's players are off for a few days this Christmas week, taking a break between the start of bowl practice on the Plains and next week's trip to the Outback Bowl.
With the holidays in mind, here is what Auburn head coach Gus Malzahn might put on his team's wish list as his Tigers look to move on from the 2014 regular season and get ready for what they hope will be a better year in 2015.
(You know, besides more sweater vests and visors.)
Travaris Robinson
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New Auburn defensive coordinator Will Muschamp won't select his assistants until after the Outback Bowl, but plenty of fans are already clamoring for one big name to come home and join the staff.
Travaris Robinson, who played free safety at Auburn from 1999-2002, has served as Muschamp's defensive backs coach since 2011. Robinson was a graduate assistant at Auburn in 2006 and 2007, during Muschamp's first run as the Tigers' defensive coordinator, and he was also on former Auburn head coach Tommy Tuberville's staff at Texas Tech in 2010.
Under Robinson, Florida's pass defense has been ranked inside the top 25 nationally with two top-10 seasons. "T-Rob" was also an ace recruiter for Muschamp at Florida, and he could open up a lot of opportunities for Auburn in the Sunshine State if he joins the staff.
While Auburn Undercover's Phillip Marshall reported that Robinson was expected to follow Muschamp to Auburn back when the defensive coordinator hiring was made official, he will most likely stay with Florida through bowl season. Auburn fans might have to wait a little more before getting the gift of a Robinson return, but it would be a tremendous boost for the future of what has been one of the Tigers' weakest units.
A Pair of 5-Star Recruits
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Auburn's 2015 recruiting class sits at No. 10 on 247Sports' composite team rankings, but there is still more than enough time for the Tigers to climb higher this winter.
According to 247Sports' Keith Niebuhr, Malzahn's staff is expected to sign 25 to 27 players, and it currently has pledges from 20 different prospects.
Auburn is still in the hunt for a handful of 5-star prospects who could push the class ranking into the top five, which would be incredible for a program that finished below expectations this season.
Florida tackle Martez Ivey, the nation's No. 1 overall player, is still the biggest target out there for Auburn, which could receive a boost from hiring the Gators' former head coach as its new defensive coordinator. Byron Cowart and CeCe Jefferson are two other Florida natives who have immense talent at defensive end, and Auburn still has a chance at fellow defensive end Terry Beckner Jr., an Illinois product.
If Auburn signs Ivey and one of its 5-star defensive end targets—in addition to a few more 4-star players—the Tigers could be looking at one of their best-ever classes by the end of national signing day.
Complete Recoveries for Lawson and Kozan
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Auburn's top two freshmen from the 2013 SEC championship season missed all of 2014 due to preseason injuries, and their absences were definitely felt in 2014.
Defensive end Carl Lawson, who tore his ACL at the end of spring practice, returned to the practice field during Outback Bowl preparations. Left guard Alex Kozan won't join him after missing the entire season due to a back injury, but offensive coordinator Rhett Lashlee gave an encouraging update on Kozan and fellow injured offensive lineman Jordan Diamond last week.
"We're going to be smart with those guys," Lashlee said. "They're coming along nicely, and Kozan's a little further ahead. They're progressing well, and we're optimistic for spring. But, at this point, we're not going to take any chances over a couple of practices."
The early signs are positive that Lawson and Kozan will make complete recoveries from their respective injuries. With a big offseason of transition coming up, Auburn would love to see these two players back to the shape that made them two of the SEC's best newcomers again this spring.
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Another Season for D'haquille Williams
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This item on the wish list might be a long shot, but the holiday season is a time of hope.
Junior wide receiver Sammie Coates, who recently graduated from Auburn, won't come back for his senior season of eligibility and instead will enter the NFL draft. The second half of the Tigers' dynamic receiving duo from 2014, D'haquille Williams, still hasn't made that decision.
Many expected Williams to be a "one-and-done" player when he signed with Auburn out of Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College last December. The junior college star seemed to be on that path throughout the regular season, but a leg injury toward the end of the campaign might have affected his draft stock.
If Williams decides to stay on campus for another season, he would have the opportunity to stand out in Malzahn's offense again and possibly become a first-round pick. If he joins Coates at the next level, then Auburn will have not one, but two more enormous holes to fill in its depth chart for 2015.
A Complete Outback Bowl Win
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The 2014 year started with heartbreak at the Rose Bowl for Auburn and continued with a few losses in the fall for a team that was hoping to get back onto the game's biggest stage.
However, the first day of 2015 provides an opportunity to set the tone for the future of Tiger football.
The program has already had a big-time shakeup with the hiring of Muschamp, which has Auburn's defensive players eager to make a big impression against Melvin Gordon and Wisconsin at the Outback Bowl. The matchup with the Badgers will show what kind of strides Auburn has made during bowl practices, when Malzahn said he wanted to have the country's "most-improved team."
An improved defensive showing will be high on the priority list for Auburn in Tampa on New Year's Day, and fans will undoubtedly want to see Nick Marshall, Cameron Artis-Payne and Sammie Coates put up big offensive numbers during their final collegiate game. Defeating the Big Ten runner-up will be no easy task for the Tigers, but they definitely have the talent to get it done and head into the offseason with momentum.
All quotes were obtained firsthand unless otherwise noted. All recruiting rankings and information courtesy of 247Sports. All stats courtesy of cfbstats.com.
Justin Ferguson is Bleacher Report's lead Auburn writer. Follow him on Twitter @JFergusonAU.
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